Organizations

The following organizations provide assistance to parents and schools in their goal to improve the academic, social, and emotional health of children. The organizations listed here have excellent resources on their websites.

Academic Development Institute
The Academic Development Institute (ADI) works with families, schools, and communities so that all children may become self-directed learners, avid readers, and responsible citizens, respecting themselves and those around them.

All Kinds of Minds
All Kinds of Minds was founded in 1995 by renowned pediatrician, Dr. Mel Levine, and financier Charles R. Schwab to translate the latest research on how children learn into programs, products, and services that help students struggling in school become more successful learners.

American Federation of Teachers
The AFT represents over a million teachers and school personnel in the U.S. Search their site for interesting and compelling articles on parent involvement.

Center for Parent Leadership
The Center for Parent Leadership provides consulting services and workshops to schools and districts nationwide to help parents develop the skills they need to become effective leaders and advocates in their local schools. Their highly acclaimed training is helping assist educators in making and sustaining improvements to education. 

The Center for Public Education
The Center provides up-to-date research, data, and analysis on current education issues and explores ways to improve student achievement and engage public support for public schools.

The Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS)
CSOS addresses many practical problems in education, including how to connect schools with families and communities in ways that promote student success.

Center for the Improvement of Child Caring
CICC, the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring, offers a web site of numerous programs and materials to help parents become more effective and numerous continuing education programs and materials for professionals who work with children and families.

Coalition for Community Schools
The Coalition for Community Schools is an alliance of national, state and local organizations in education K-16 that advocates for community schools as the vehicle for strengthening schools, families and communities so that together they can improve student learning.

Colorado Parent Information Resource Center
CPIRC is one of the 28 parent assistance centers across the country funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It is a well-organized site with comprehensive information for parents and those who work with parents. The site includes over 100 tip sheets and reviews of state and national projects, and parent involvement research with direct links to original sites.

Communities in Schools, Inc. (CIS)
Communities In Schools is a national non-profit organization that champions the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life.

Connect for Kids
The award-winning Connectforkids.org helps connect concerned adults and young people to information, stories and context on a range of issues affecting children and families. It also offers tools to take action, and success stories about What Works to help strengthen outcomes for children, families and communities. Its biweekly e-newsletter is packed with the latest news, research and tools for action. Connect for Kids is managed by the Forum for Youth Investment.

Education World
This is a commercial site with lots of information about children and education. Check out the "Parents Center" for useful information about parent involvement in education.

Education Trust
The Education Trust is a national organization that works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels- pre-kindergarten through college. They have some good resources that link parent involvement to student learning.

Edutopia Online
Sponsored by The George Lucas Educational Foundation, Edutopia documents and disseminates models of the most innovative practices in our nation's K-12 schools. The site has a separate section devoted to parent involvement.

Efficacy Institute
The objectives of the Efficacy Institute are to build belief that virtually all children can "get smart" and the capacity of adults to set the terms to help them do so. They provide tools and services that committed adults can use to accelerate academic achievement and character development.

Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE)
The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE), launched by the Harvard Family Research Project in 2000, is a national network of people who are interested in promoting strong partnerships between children's educators, their families, and their communities.

Family Support America
Family Support America promotes family support as the nationally recognized movement to strengthen and support families at the heart of every setting in which children and families are present.

Florida Partnership for Family Involvement in Education
Sponsored by the University of South Florida, this website offers many tips and handouts for engaging families in improving achievement.

Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership
A statewide initiative of the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership uses parent mentors to work in schools, with families, and in communities to help kids with special needs.

GreatSchools
GreatSchools provides information and resources on topics related to raising successful kids. Find articles on everything from parenting, academics, and learning disabilities to how to choose your child's school and help it thrive.

The Forum For Youth Investment
The Forum provides youth and adult leaders with the information, technical assistance, training, network support and partnership opportunities needed to increase the quality and quantity of youth investment and youth involvement. Services include field research, consulting, strategic planning, meeting planning and facilitation, and workshops.

Hand in Hand: Parents Schools Communities United for Kids
This site was developed as a response to Goal 8 (Parental Involvement) of the National Education Goals 2000. It was established to share information about programs that value and nurture the family and community role in children's learning. The site is funded by the Mattel Foundation and coordinated by the Institute for Educational Leadership.

Harvard Family Research Project
HFRP's mission is to examine and encourage policies and programs that empower families and communities to help children reach their potential. It publishes and disseminates research findings and provides technical assistance to a nationwide network of practitioners, policy makers, and educators.

The Institute for Responsive Education (IRE)
Headquartered in Boston, MA, The Institute for Responsive Education is a research, policy, and advocacy organization that encourages and supports school, family, and community partnership to enable high quality educational opportunities for all children. They believe that schools, families, and communities all share the responsibility to improve schools and raise education standards.

The Kid Report
Free websites for teachers to encourage parent involvement and collaboration in the classroom.

KSA-Plus Communications
Located in Arlington, VA, KSA-Plus is a leader in education communications. Its Parent Leadership Group offers products and services to strengthen parent-school partnership, including workshops, consulting services and materials.

Latinos in College
A nationwide initiative to help Latino students graduate from four-year colleges, this website offers resources for students and parents of Hispanic descent. Learn how you can contribute to research on Millennial Hispanics (those born between 1970 and 1990).

The Learning Network
Launched in September 2000, The Learning Network's mission is to be an online consumer network of the world's best learning and information resources, personalized to help parents, teachers, and students of all ages take control of their learning and make it part of their everyday lives.

Learning Point Associates
Learning Point Associates (formerly the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory - NCREL) is a non-profit educational organization offering comprehensive services in the areas of evaluation, policy, professional services, and research to schools nationally.

MiddleWeb
MiddleWeb provides a wealth of resources for schools, districts, educators, parents, and public school advocates working to raise achievement for all students in the middle grades. In addition to MiddleWeb's large collection of reform-oriented materials, this site includes hundreds of articles and links about curriculum, teaching strategies, teacher professional development, parent involvement, classroom assessment, and much more.

National Association of Elementary School Principals
The mission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children. Search this site for articles on family and parent involvement.

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
The mission of the NAESP is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children. The organization offers mini-grants to principals to strengthen ties between schools and communities.

National Center for Community Education (NCCE)
Since 1962, The National Center for Community Education, located in Flint, MI, has been the starting point for the Community Education movement. NCCE has been training educators and all others interested in the community school concept. In 1998 with the inception the 21st CCLC Federal afterschool program NCCE has been the provider of training for these grantees. NCCE extensive website features our schedule of workshops, including regional trainings, and online courses.

National Center for Fathering
The mission of the National Center for Fathering is to improve the well-being of children by inspiring and equipping men to be more effectively involved in the lives of children.

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE)
NCPIE is a coalition of major education, community, public service, and advocacy organizations working to create meaningful family-school partnerships in every school in America.

National Community Education Association
NCEA's mission is to provide leadership to those who build learning communities in response to individual and community needs. It does this by providing its members with national and regional training conferences and workshops; specialized periodicals, publications, and products; opportunities for peer support and networking; and information and referral services.

National Education Association
NEA is America's oldest and largest organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 in Philadelphia and now headquartered in Washington, D.C., NEA proudly claims more than 2.5 million members who work at every level of education, from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliates in every state as well as in over 13,000 local communities across the United States.

National Issues Forum
National Issues Forums bring people together to talk about important issues. They range from small study circles held in peoples’ homes to large community gatherings modeled on New England town meetings. Each forum focuses on a specific issue such as illegal drugs, Social Security, or juvenile crime. Site offers workshops and a starter kit on how to organize a forum.

National Middle School Association
NMSA provides professional development, journals, books, research, and other valuable information to assist educators and parents. It has an excellent bookstore with resources geared to parenting and educating the adolescent.

National Network of Partnership Schools
Established by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, The National Network of Partnership Schools brings together schools, districts, and states that are committed to developing and maintaining comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships.

National Parent Information Network (ERIC)
This is a comprehensive site that is sponsored by two ERIC clearinghouses. Urban Education at Columbia University and Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois. The purpose of the NPIN is to provide information to parents and those who work with parents and to foster the exchange of parenting materials. Monthly updates are provided on what is new in their extensive data base with over 100 links to parenting-related organizations that provide resources for those who work with parents.

National Parent Teacher Association
The National PTA believes parent involvement is key to student success and achievement. An online self-assessment helps evaluate current parent/family involvement practices in your school.

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
The NWREL has an excellent collection of resources on parent involvement, which they define as the active, ongoing participation of a child's parent(s) or guardian(s) in his or her education.

Parent Coaching Institute (PCI)
The Parent Coaching Institute (PCI) can refer you to PCI Certified Parent Coaches with expertise in your parenting needs. PCI trained coaches offer comprehensive coaching services to parents, schools, agencies and corporations. They are trained through the only accredited Parent Coach Certification program in the nation. The PCI is recognized nationally and internationally as a valuable contributor to parenting resources and research. Phone: 888-599-4447

The Parent Institute
The mission of The Parent Institute is to encourage parent involvement in the education of their children. The Parent Institute publishes a variety of materials including newsletters, booklets, brochures, and videos. The Parent Institute is a division of NIS, Inc., an independent, private corporation founded in 1989 by educators with extensive experience working with public and private schools in the U.S. and Canada. The corporation has two operating subdivisions: The Parent Institute and The Teacher Institute.

Parental Information and Resource Centers
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Parent Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) help implement successful and effective parental involvement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student academic achievement and that strengthen partnerships among parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the education needs of children.

Parents for Public Schools
Parents for Public Schools members are involved in public school advocacy and reform through work to influence the factors that impact student achievement and improve schools. PPS believes parents are owners of their public schools and supports members in developing and using strategies of meaningful parent involvement.

PTO Today
PTO Today is the only media company focused on school PTO's and PTA's. Their print magazine, web site, conferences and tools all aim to help PTO and PTA leaders effectively build involvement at their schools.

Public Agenda
Public Agenda provides unbiased research that bridges the gap between American leaders and what the public really thinks about issues ranging from education to foreign policy to immigration to religion and civility in American life. Its website carries reports on parent involvement and educational topics of interest.

Public Education Network
Public Education Network (PEN) is a national association of local education funds (LEFs) and individuals working to advance public school reform in low-income communities across our country. PEN believes an active, vocal constituency is the key to ensuring that every child, in every community, benefits from a quality public education.

Search Institute
Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. To accomplish this mission, the institute generates and communicates new knowledge, and brings together community, state, and national leaders. At the heart of the institute's work is its framework of "40 developmental assets."

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
SEDL is a private, nonprofit education research, development, and dissemination corporation committed to improving teaching and learning. Their site has online courses and interactive features.

Study Circles
The Study Circles Resource Center is a national organization that helps local communities develop their own ability to organize large-scale and diverse participation in dialogue structured to support and strengthen measurable community change.

Teaching for Change
By drawing direct connections to 'real world' issues, Teaching for Change encourages teachers and students to question and re-think the world inside and outside their classrooms, build a more equitable, multicultural society, and become active global citizens.

U.S. Department of Education
The U. S. Department of Education web-site is designed to help pursue the President's initiatives, including No Child Left Behind, and advance the Department's mission to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. It also supports the work of Education Department offices, led by senior Education Department officials.

U.S. Department of Education — Family Involvement
One of many U.S. Department of Education links that provides full text of reference publications on successful local approaches to family involvement in education. It profiles ten local school successful partnerships. Contacts are listed, many with URL links to the federal network for Parent Information and Resource Centers, Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers, Regional Educational Labs, Research and Development Centers.

Washington State Office of the Education Ombudsman
This website maintained through the Washington State Governor's Office helps families and schools learn how to develop partnerships that support student success, and brings parents and educators together to resolve conflicts that can affect student academic achievement.  It offers information about the public school system, assistance with resolving conflicts between families and schools, free trainings, presentations and publications.

Zoomerang
Zoomerang offers online survey service with options to use its templates or create your own. If you want to get feedback from parents about programs to support their involvement, check this site out!

 

If you would like us to review your organization's website for inclusion in our Web Resources, please use our Link Request Form. All sites must be relevant to our content and support our mission of building collaborative parent-school partnerships and increasing parental involvement in education. We do not accept links from companies or organizations that sell school fundraising products or materials.